KEYZEN – POCKET-SIZED MEDITATION COACH
Keychain Device for Guided, Patented Breathing Techniques
CATEGORY
- IoT
- Wellness Tech
- Consumer Electronics
Walid Al-Bermani
Practitioner & Founder, Arora
SERVICES
- Feasibility & Product Design
- Full-Cycle Product Design
- Hardware & PCB Design
- Mechanical Design
- Firmware Development
- EVT, DVT, PVT
PROJECT TIMELINE
THE CHALLENGE
Walid Al-Bermani needed an ultra-compact device that users could carry on their keychain, yet still deliver clinician-grade guided breathing exercises. Requirements included: Patented Breathing Algorithms with real-time pacing, OLED Display to visualize inhale/exhale cues, Haptic Feedback for eyes-closed sessions, BLE Connectivity to log sessions in a mobile app, NFC Pairing for instant, password-free setup, All-Day Battery in a sub-30 g enclosure.
- Breathing Algorithms: Patented, real-time pacing
- Display: OLED for inhale/exhale cues
- Haptics: Eyes-closed session feedback
- Connectivity: BLE for session logging, NFC for pairing
- Battery: All-day, sub-30g enclosure
KEY HURDLES
- •Miniaturizing electronics while preserving display readability
- •Balancing high-refresh OLED animation with multi-day battery life
- •Designing haptic motor control that feels natural, not jarring
- •Ensuring robust BLE link without a bulky antenna
- •Sealing the unit against sweat and pocket lint
THE OPPORTUNITY
Busy professionals, frequent travelers, and creative workers need micro-breaks to reset focus. KeyZen makes evidence-based breathing exercises available anywhere—no smartphone screen required—bridging the gap between clinical biofeedback and everyday mindfulness.
- Evidence-based breathing exercises anywhere, anytime.
- No smartphone screen required—true on-the-go mindfulness.
- Bridges clinical biofeedback and daily wellness.
FEATURE SETS
- •Patented Breathing Algorithm – Multiple programs (box, 4-7-8, resonant)
- •0.96″ OLED Display – High-contrast inhale/exhale animations
- •Haptic Motor – Gentle pulses guide each breath phase
- •BLE 5.0 – Session data streamed to iOS/Android app
- •NFC Tap-to-Pair – One-touch device registration
- •200 mAh Battery – Up to 48 hours of guided sessions
- •Reusable Keychain Clip – Swivel-mount for easy access
- •4 GB Encrypted Storage – Local save of 1,000+ sessions
- •IP54-Rated Housing – Sweat- and splash-resistant
GALLERY
THE SOLUTION
Axio Electronics delivered a pocket-sized meditation coach with patented breathing routines, haptic feedback, and seamless mobile integration.
High-Contrast Display
0.96″ 128×64 monochrome OLED with custom driver
Patented Breathing Programs
Box, 4-7-8, coherent-resonance, and custom routines
Haptic Feedback
Linear motor calibrated for gentle, human-tuned pulses
Bluetooth LE Sync
Secure GATT profile for one-way session upload
One-Tap Pairing
NXP NTAG activation for instant BLE advertisement
48-Hour Runtime
200 mAh Li-Po with optimized MCU sleep modes
Single-Button UX
Short press to start/stop, long press to change program
Local Session Logging
4 GB flash for offline storage of breathing data
ABS + Silicone Overmold
Durable, splash-resistant enclosure with soft grip
OUR APPROACH
Mechanical Engineering Strategy
Ergonomic, curved housing sized to fit comfortably in palm or pocket
Integrated keychain swivel mount for easy retrieval
Overmolded ABS + TPU layers to resist sweat and abrasion
Small vent holes to manage heat from continuous OLED use
Mechanical Engineering Process
CAD modeling to refine grip and button ergonomics
SLA prototypes for display legibility and haptic feel tests
Tensile and IP54 ingress trials on final overmolded samples
High-volume tooling design for injection molding
PCB & Hardware Design
Nordic nRF52810 BLE SoC for low-power wireless
SSD1306-compatible OLED driver IC
Custom haptic motor driver with 1 Vpp control
Micro-USB charging port with Li-Po protection
200 mAh coin-cell-style Li-Po battery and fuel gauge
NXP NTAG for NFC functionality
Firmware Design
Real-time breathing algorithm scheduler with adjustable cycle lengths
OLED animation engine optimized for ultra-low flicker
Haptic pulse generator synchronized to on-screen cues
BLE GATT service for session metadata and data transfer
NFC-triggered BLE advertisement and secure pairing
Over-the-air firmware updates with CRC verification
In-House Prototyping
User Comfort Trials: 15 participants tested wearability during 2-hour writing sessions
Bench Testing: Display reflectivity, haptic intensity mapping, BLE range in office layout
EVT: Verified IEC 61010 safety, IP54 sealing, battery endurance
DVT: Two-week field trial with 25 knowledge-workers—refined button timing and UI text
PVT: 500-unit pilot run; automated test jig for display, haptic response, BLE connectivity
Key Challenges & Resolutions
- OLED Glare— Added anti-reflective coating and optimized brightness profiles
- Haptic 'Kick'— Tuned motor PWM frequency for softer ramp-up
- BLE Dropouts— Revised PCB antenna layout and ground-plane segmentation
- Battery Swelling— Switched to pouch-cell format with vent-rated protection
PILOT & PRODUCTION
PILOT & PRODUCTION
Corporate Beta: 100 executives in three cities; 92% daily usage rate. BOM Optimization: 14% cost reduction by consolidating driver ICs. Regulatory: CE, FCC certified; TGA (Australia) registration in progress. Manufacturing Fixture: Inline test for NFC read, haptic resonance, OLED pixel integrity.
Corporate Beta: 100 executives, 92% daily usage rate
BOM Optimization: 14% cost reduction by consolidating driver ICs
Regulatory: CE, FCC certified; TGA (Australia) registration in progress
Manufacturing Fixture: Inline test for NFC read, haptic resonance, OLED pixel integrity
How It Works
Unclip & Tap NFC on your phone or kiosk
Wear KeyZen clipped to belt loop or backpack strap
Press Button to launch chosen breathing program
Follow Display & Haptics—eyes on the screen or eyes closed guided by pulses
Sync Session automatically with your mobile app
WHAT CAN
WE CREATE
TOGETHER
DOWNLOAD THE KEYZEN CASE STUDY (PDF)
Client Testimonial
Walid Al-Bermani
Practitioner & Founder, Arora
Axio helped me go from idea to prototype to production within six months. Their openness to iteration and sharp, energetic team made the difference. Highly recommended.
Axio Electronics